Hurricane Erin gained strength Friday as it churned in the Atlantic Ocean and bore down on the Caribbean, where it could bring heavy rain to the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.Erin, the first hurricane of the Atlantic season this year,

As of Friday evening, Hurricane Erin had strengthened into a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of up to 100 mph and "expected to rapidly intensify into a major hurricane this weekend," the National Hurricane Center said at 11 p.m. ET.